Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to support local authorities to ensure there is an adequate provision of publicly available disabled toilets.

The Changing Places Fund forms part of the National Disability Strategy launched in 2021. The Strategy made a public commitment to make £30 million capital funding available over 3 years to unitary and district councils in England with the objective to increase both the number and geographic spread of Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) and to provide them in venues of greatest need. Changing Places Toilets unlike standard accessible toilets, have an adult changing bench and hoist facilities as well as extra space for carers.

The CPF prospectus was published in July 2021 inviting unitary and district authorities to submit an expression of interest.

Following the outcome of the Round 1 assessment process the government has announced that 191 unitary and district councils across England have been allocated £23.5 million of funding to increase the number and spread of Changing Places Toilet facilities across England.

A further round of the Changing Places Fund is anticipated later in 2022.